The Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering celebrated the accomplishments and success of some of their exceptional alumni during the annual awards dinner on January 31.

Distinguished Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumni Award is based on an individual’s leadership, achievements and societal impact. This year’s award recipient was Raymond Walter Wolfe.

After spending over 20 years with the California Department of Transportation, Wolfe is now the executive director of the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority. At SBCTA, he manages a $1 billion budget, oversees infrastructure construction projects and commuter services, manages air quality programs, and implements alternative fuel and energy programs.

Outstanding Junior Alumni Award

Kristen Sharer received the Outstanding Junior Alumni Award. This award is based on an individual’s achievements. Sharer, who is currently a project manager at KPFF Consulting Engineers, has been involved in a wide variety of projects and industries including education, healthcare and governmental.

She spent the fall volunteering with Engineering Ministries International, where she upgraded crucial infrastructure at a hospital in southwest Kenya. She also enjoys mentoring students through the Viterbi Student Alumni Mentorship Program.

Alumni Service Award

The final award of the night was the Alumni Service Award, which is based on an individual’s contributions and presence in the community. The award recipient, Amanda Heinke, is a senior transportation planner and a project manager at Fehr & Peers in Los Angeles where she works on the traffic impact analyses of projects. She has served on the Los Angeles chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar since 2012, occupying various leadership positions on the board, including president.